ACOS poll: with KM, DS or JR?

[YtseJamittaja]

This poll requires that you have heard all versions of ACOS. (I&W demos, ACOS official release and for example LSFNY)

At 12:50 mark in ACOS EP every keyboard player has played his own version from that little solo. I mean that part where JR has played When the Water Breaks outro...

But now, all the ultimate DT fans, who of your gods has the best version?

[nikatapi]

Derek Sherinian FTW. I liked his contributions on the song very much, and he has awesome sounds as well.

[Lolzeez]

Kevin Moore version for me. He does that amazing solo. Nuff said.

[adastra]

Derek of course! IMO he has this groove in his playing that Isn't there with KM or JR.
And he is one sexy mf .
Derek made Dream theater a little bit.... dangerous ... in a  good way

[Super Dude]

I've only ever listened to the full EP version and snippets from KM, but I feel like it will always be a DS song for me. As said above, he does add a very distinctive flare to the song, as I feel he always did during his time.

[Sycsa]

I like both Derek's and Kev's version, but prefer the former, because it's cooler and the timing is more exciting. Jordan's honky tonk is goofy and doesn't fit the mood of the song at all. Which was fine BTW on Live Scenes, when they were all goofing around with the Simpsons theme and such, but after that, Jordan should have opted for a different, more serious solo, in my opinion.

[Orbert]

Gotta go with Derek.  Kevin had a nice groove, but I think Derek brought something to the song and owned it in his own way, even if he didn't really help write it.  Jordan, as always, takes things too far.

[Scorpion]

Derek, easily. Though I disagree that Jordan takes it too far, I'm just not as fond of his version as I am of the original studio version.

[Orbert]

Okay, that was a cheap shot, I'll admit.  He doesn't always take it too far, but there's a time to put your own spin on things and a time to think a bit more about what fits the song better.

[BlobVanDam]

Easily JR.
The original ACOS with KM was not a good arrangement at all. The DS version was good, but I think the keyboard work is pretty sterile overall. The LSFNY version is the definitive version, weak vocals aside. So many little touches with the keyboards that make it especially special compared to the rest. A sample here and there, nicer sounds, beefy leads, pushing and pulling back the tempo in just the right places to accentuate sections, it's just much better.

Gotta go with Derek.  Kevin had a nice groove, but I think Derek brought something to the song and owned it in his own way, even if he didn't really help write it.  Jordan, as always, takes things too far.

FFS, he plays a solo differently, and adds a small piano ragtime.

DTF, as always, takes things too far.

[Perpetual Change]

LSFNY is the definitive version of the song, IMO.

Easily JR.
The original ACOS with KM was not a good arrangement at all. The DS version was good, but I think the keyboard work is pretty sterile overall. The LSFNY version is the definitive version, weak vocals aside. So many little touches with the keyboards that make it especially special compared to the rest. A sample here and there, nicer sounds, beefy leads, pushing and pulling back the tempo in just the right places to accentuate sections, it's just much better.

Yeah, exactly.

[The Letter M]

Gotta go with Derek.  Kevin had a nice groove, but I think Derek brought something to the song and owned it in his own way, even if he didn't really help write it.  Jordan, as always, takes things two far.

FTFY

I also went with Derek. If he left anything that would be noteworthy with the band, it would be his contributions to this song. TheEP studio release is one of the best songs the band ever released, and DS's keyboard parts really help make the song, even if he really didn't write them, his performance and sounds really add a lot to the song, especially compared to the live versions they were still play not more than 2 years prior to the EP's release.

There are some things I like about the LSFNY version, but nothing beats the studio version in this case.

-Marc.

[?]

When it comes to the full song, the studio version with Derek is easily my favorite, but the poll asks for your favorite version of the little keyboard bit in The Darkest of Winters, and to me it's a tough call between Kevin and Derek. I like both, but Derek is winning this by a landslide anyway, so I think Kev deserves one more vote.

[Orbert]

FFS, he plays a solo differently, and adds a small piano ragtime.

Jordan should just record an album of ragtime and honky-tonk music and get it out of his system.  Instead, he injects it into his solos a little bit here and there.  I actually like ragtime a lot, I have several albums of ragtime and honky tonk piano, and Jordan's ability to fit it into prog metal is truly impressive.  I still don't like it in DT because it takes me out of the moment every single time.  It's an aspect of his playing that I don't think I'll ever come to terms with.  It always screams "see how clever I am to be able to do that!" to me.

DTF, as always, takes things too far.

Well, yeah.

[Perpetual Change]

The ragtime section in ACoS is one of the few instances where JR made sense. Actually, all three guys improvised their studio parts and each part was better than the original.

[BlobVanDam]

FFS, he plays a solo differently, and adds a small piano ragtime.

Jordan should just record an album of ragtime and honky-tonk music and get it out of his system.  Instead, he injects it into his solos a little bit here and there.  I actually like ragtime a lot, I have several albums of ragtime and honky tonk piano, and Jordan's ability to fit it into prog metal is truly impressive.  I still don't like it in DT because it takes me out of the moment every single time.  It's an aspect of his playing that I don't think I'll ever come to terms with.  It always screams "see how clever I am to be able to do that!" to me.

The whole ragtime thing has been blown out of proportion. He did it in TDOE, ACOS live, and TDEN. Am I missing any? Either way, half a minute total of ragtime isn't that much at all considering he's been in the band for 14 years, and recorded over 9 hours of studio material, and just as much live material.
The few times he's used it, I think it's fit perfectly. It's not about showing off or because he can, it's just one of many parts of his unique style, and I don't think his style should have to be neutered to appease anybody, or "gotten out of his system" anywhere but DT. If anything, I'd like more of that kind of fun factor back on the next album, because I think the fun side is a necessary part of their sound.

[KevShmev]

Definitely the version with Derek.  I almost always prefer studio versions, and that one is just too perfect.

I agree that JR takes it too far with certain keyboard sounds and ideas on the LSFNY version.  I would say that is the least best of the three versions, mostly cause of JLB's vocals and JR overdoing it.  The Kevin Moore version suffers from the Another World section not slaying like it does on later versions.

[devieira73]

Although i voted derek's solo, I prefer the KM's version of the entire song. It's more concise, a little more fast and it begins with that cool drum fill.

[Dellers]

Sherinian's version. I always thought he was the greatest keyboardist in DT anyway. I just like his playing in general, and he's a bit more groovy than the other two.

[MoraWintersoul]

It's not about showing off or because he can, it's just one of many parts of his unique style, and I don't think his style should have to be neutered to appease anybody, or "gotten out of his system" anywhere but DT. If anything, I'd like more of that kind of fun factor back on the next album, because I think the fun side is a necessary part of their sound.

Yup, definitely. Still, I voted Derek, I love his solo best.
Also, the vocs in the LSFNY ACOS are cool.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

FFS, he plays a solo differently, and adds a small piano ragtime.

Jordan should just record an album of ragtime and honky-tonk music and get it out of his system.  Instead, he injects it into his solos a little bit here and there.  I actually like ragtime a lot, I have several albums of ragtime and honky tonk piano, and Jordan's ability to fit it into prog metal is truly impressive.  I still don't like it in DT because it takes me out of the moment every single time.  It's an aspect of his playing that I don't think I'll ever come to terms with.  It always screams "see how clever I am to be able to do that!" to me.

The whole ragtime thing has been blown out of proportion. He did it in TDOE, ACOS live, and TDEN. Am I missing any? Either way, half a minute total of ragtime isn't that much at all considering he's been in the band for 14 years, and recorded over 9 hours of studio material, and just as much live material.
The few times he's used it, I think it's fit perfectly. It's not about showing off or because he can, it's just one of many parts of his unique style, and I don't think his style should have to be neutered to appease anybody, or "gotten out of his system" anywhere but DT. If anything, I'd like more of that kind of fun factor back on the next album, because I think the fun side is a necessary part of their sound.

I loved it in TDOE because that's just a crazy instrumental where anything goes. The ragtime in ACOS and TDEN don't work for me, because they don't fit the rest of the song IMO. The other thing is that the ragtime in TDOE is accompanied, whereas ACOS and TDEN aren't, so it really calls too much attention to a part that doesn't fit. But hey, some love it, so who am I to disagree?

[CrimsonSunrise]

Derek Fo Sho! 

[KevShmev]

Also, I think a lot of the subtlety of ACOS is lost in the live versions.  For example, the part around 2:40 of the studio version is so awesome; the way the piano drives that little section, before leading into the hammond organ, is so freaking awesome, but when you listen to LSFNY, if JR is even playing that, you can't hear it, as JP is playing a heavy as hell riff there and the emphasis is all on the stop and goes of the bass, guitar and drums, instead of the piano driving that brief section.  Little things like that are lost in the live versions, and that is why I could never take any live version of ACOS over the studio version.

[abydos]

Definitely Derek Sherinian's version. LFSNY is amazing (I also think James does a great job on it minus a few moments in the song) but some of JR's parts aren't as good imo.

[Unlegit]

Wasn't this poll about the solo only, not the whole song? Anyways, JR for me, but DS for the overall song.

[KevShmev]

If we are basing it on solos, then Derek wins easily.  Go listen to his solo in The Inevitable Summer, and then listen to Rudess'.  It ain't close, IMO.  Rudess' sounds like one of his wanky "here is a flurry of notes" solos, while Sherinian's is absolutely flawless.  As someone who was bummed when Moore left the band, I remember hearing that solo for the first time and thinking, "Okay, their keyboard parts are in good hands again."

[TheGreatPretender]

The solos in the Darkest of Winters are really the deciding factor for me, and I prefer Jordan's by a mile. His little Ragtime solo added so much more flavor to that section. Honestly, Derek's solo on the EP was so short and uninteresting, I barely even recognized it as a solo. It felt more like a fill into the next section.

[Sketchy]

I love the Derek one most. Growly organs, plonky piano solo and all.

[TheGreatPretender]

I love the Derek one most. Growly organs, plonky piano solo and all.

I definitely liked the quality of organs Derek used in ACOS and FII. They had a very 1970's prog rock sounding tone to them. I loved it.

[YtseJamittaja]

Wasn't this poll about the solo only, not the whole song? Anyways, JR for me, but DS for the overall song.

Yeah, the solo only. It's the main difference between those versions. (okay, I&W demo is really different...)

[Sycsa]

I love the Derek one most. Growly organs, plonky piano solo and all.

I definitely liked the quality of organs Derek used in ACOS and FII. They had a very 1970's prog rock sounding tone to them. I loved it.

Indeed. He used a good quality Hammond clone, but more importantly, a rotating Leslie speaker. It would make a world of difference if Jordan used one as well.

[SystematicThought]

Can you imagine this thread title for a person new to Dream Theater who knows nothing about the band?
ACOS: With KM, DS, or JR.

So many acronyms!

Anyways, DS easily. He just adds something to the song, and I'll be the first to say that I am not the biggest fan of Derek to begin with. The Crimson Sunset is his highlight in the song for me. That and the semi-truck sound midway through. I love that part

[JayOctavarium]

I love all three versions.... (the solos and the songs) and I voted Kevs mainly because I like the lead patch he uses in the solo...

[ZirconBlue]

I love the Derek one most. Growly organs, plonky piano solo and all.

I definitely liked the quality of organs Derek used in ACOS and FII. They had a very 1970's prog rock sounding tone to them. I loved it.

I've always been a big fan of Derek's organ.  If you know what I mean.

[TheGreatPretender]

I've always been a big fan of Derek's organ.  If you know what I mean.

Of course I know what you mean. You can't get enough of his dirty organ, can you?